Nine years since leaving Elland Road, Leeds hero is now better than Strand Larsen

Forward of the 2025/26 season, Leeds United shall be combating to stay within the Premier League after being promoted from the Championship final season.

Daniel Farke’s facet defeated England’s second tier after which received the Championship title, however there isn’t any denying that taking part in within the prime flight is a big step ahead when it comes to high quality.

The German was handed the equal of £90m to make the reinforcements he wished, and has since made some shrewd additions which have given him wonderful worth for cash.

The Whites are at the moment six factors away from the relegation zone with only a few months left within the season, and this place has undoubtedly exceeded the expectations of their fan base.

Nonetheless, regardless of heavy spending in latest summers, the bosses regarded to make additional additions in January, with one participant rising as a prime goal.

Leeds didn’t signal Jorgen Strand Larsen in January

In an try to strengthen their ahead line through the January switch window, Leeds have been on the forefront of securing the signature of Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.

The Norwegian had been off form in 2025/26, as evidenced by only one objective in 22 appearances, however Farke clearly trusted him to contribute.

Following Los Blancos’ curiosity within the 25-year-old, the bosses determined to again the supervisor and subsequently made a suggestion price £30 million earlier than signing an additional contract.

Nonetheless, though the supply was rejected, Farke’s facet have been regarded as main the race to signal him as no different groups made an strategy for the participant.

Issues may change dramatically within the remaining days as Crystal Palace shocked the sector with a £50m supply together with add-ons.

Following promotion, Leeds weren’t ready to justify such a switch payment and Los Blancos withdrew from negotiations for the Eagles to finish the signing of the 25-year-old.

Consequently, Facundo Buonanotte remained as the one new signing at Elland Street, with the hierarchy arguably lacking a chance to strengthen their survival efforts.

Former Leeds star upgrades Strand Larsen

Regardless of lacking out on Strand Larsen in January, Leeds have already got two nice attacking choices of their squad in Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lucas Nmeka.

The previous of the duo was a daily starter for the membership for almost all of the season, earlier than making an enormous impression within the last third of the pitch.

The Englishman, signed on a free switch from Everton, has scored 9 objectives within the Premier League this season and is at the moment the workforce’s prime scorer.

As for the German, he typically has to play second fiddle behind Calvert-Lewin, however that hasn’t stopped him from scoring 5 objectives in 19 league appearances thus far.

The pair’s 14 objectives this season has undoubtedly elevated their possibilities of survival, however the arrival of Strand Larsen will surely have strengthened them.

However he isn’t the one ahead who may have supplied the fabric, with former striker Chris Wooden additionally a participant who may have made a big effect had he remained at Elland Street.

The New Zealand worldwide left Los Blancos 9 years in the past in the summertime of 2017, earlier than becoming a member of Burnley for a then membership report payment of round £15m.

He made a complete of 88 appearances throughout his two years with Yorkshire, scoring 44 instances, typically scoring within the last third of the Championship.

Within the years since his departure, the 34-year-old has grow to be a talisman on the Premier League’s prime degree. As could be seen from his latest goalscoring within the Premier League.

Wooden, who’s at the moment traded to Nottingham Forest, made 91 appearances for the Reds and located the again of the online 39 instances.

However his numbers final season – discovering the again of the online 20 instances in 36 league appearances – present the expertise he has at England’s prime degree.

These outcomes have been his greatest ever within the division and helped the Reds overcome all adversity to qualify for European soccer for the primary time in over 30 years.

Throughout one such season, he additionally managed to outscore Strand Larsen by six objectives, and his type as soon as once more confirmed that the membership had made the fallacious resolution to let him go 9 years in the past.

Within the 2025/26 season, Wooden nonetheless managed to attain extra objectives than Strand Larsen, regardless of being sidelined since October with a knee damage and surgical procedure.

His type away from Elland Street was no shock given his time in Yorkshire, with Leeds followers pressured to take a seat again and watch as he delivered the products to one in every of their relegation rivals.

Bringing within the former Wolves star would have been a press release of intent from the leaders, however his lack of objectives would make any transfer an enormous threat.

Farke and the fan base shall be hoping that the newest additions shall be sufficient to safe a top-flight spot when the season attracts to a detailed in a number of months.